O'Horten

Odd Horton is dependable and cautious Norwegian train engineer facing retirement. His fellow train workers throw him a big retirement party. He gets locked out of his own party and tries to sneak back in climbing up a scaffolding. He finds a boy who asks him to stay while he sleeps. He oversleeps and misses his train. It's a series of disjointed rambling situations leading him to reconsider his life. As a character, Odd Horten lacks any charisma. It starts off slowly. When it turns strange, the movie lost me. I would rather it go crazy. I couldn't really follow him down the rabbit hole. The movie is well-made and it aims to be profound. I don't hate the attempt but it's not for me.

This is a film unique and intriguing in its own special way. The apparent lack of emotions of the story indeed tells of so many emotions and speaks so many words unspoken. The interactions of Odd with other eccentric people on his retirement night indeed reflect his inner feelings of eagerness for a new start on one hand and his unpreparedness for loss of his routines on the other. The human interactions in the film are portrayed in such a frank and pure way that the whole film is filled with a subtle warmness despite the snowy streets of Oslo. By breaking away from the "rails" that had rooted him to the ground for so many years and by embarking on a new stage of life, Odd finally has the time to redeem, rediscover, and to reappraise, and to finally live a life without pre-set rails and tracks. A very warm, touching and enchanting piece of work which is at times surreal and at all times unique. It may be short of words sometimes but is never short of a uniquely human touch.

I'm not certain if this is the first Norwegian film I've ever seen but, if it is, it's a wonderful beginning! I found the film to be utterly enchanting: Charming, quirky, eccentric, and delightful! The cinematography is flawless -- every frame was interesting to watch. The score is an absolute joy, fitting the film to perfection, yet never intruding or proclaiming itself.

I was deeply impressed by the natural, highly specific work done by the actors: They performed with great truth and honesty, saying more with a look or a gesture than they did with words.

I must confess to being something of a railroad lover -- so the inclusion of locomotives in the film was an added benefit. There is a strange dialectic between the freedom of travel and the limited mobility of trains that fits the characters and enriches the story.

So if you're the type who enjoys simple, direct, character-driven storytelling, this is the film for you. I look forward to seeing it again, and hope it will be released on DVD in the US soon!

From PASTO, COLOMBIA-Via: L. A. CA; CALI, COLOMBIA & ORLANDO, FL

FIRST... Let us FOCUS on the Title´s content and context!

And...First order of business: The IMDb Intro Blurb on O'HORTEN: If you haven't read it...DON'T! If you have, forget about it and read my Review! The Blurb just doesn't prepare you for the tone and feel of the movie! The only thing I'll reveal about the "Storyline" occurs only 15 or 20 minutes into the movie, so no harm in that, eh?

ODD (Yes, that's his name!) has never been late nor missed his train in nearly 40 years as an engineer. He seems just a tad anxious about his soon- to-be retirement. His house-of-cards life is about to undergo a seismic shift and collapse. This is foreshadowed just a bit as things begin to spin out of control on the eve of his last scheduled trip at the helm as engineer...which cause him to.....Well.... Better You see what then ensues!!!

It's doubtful many people will agree with me on this, but the ONLY movie O'HORTEN vaguely reminds me of is 1979's BEING THERE. Both have a slightly surreal feel to them, and the lead characters (Remember Peter Sellers as Chauncey Gardiner?) do share a lot of things in common. A chain of serendipitous occurrences lead up to events that early on seemed obvious, but later, fades into the background as something just not meant to be! If an ending has a lot to do with defining a film's genre...Then please, be patient and hold-off on classifying this one until you see the end credits.

BTW, the music is delicate, haunting and provides absolutely perfect accompaniment. The photography is also superb and pleasantly stylized.

8*.....ENJOY! / DISFRUTELA!

In Norway, the sixty-seven year-old train machinist Odd Horten (Bård Owe) retires after forty years of service. He receives a silver locomotive from his colleagues in a dinner party and loses his last trip. After the retirement, the plain Horten seems to be lost and wanders through Oslo, where he helps Trygve Sissener (Espen Skjønberg) and they become friends. When Trygve invites him to take a ride in his car, the driver dies and Horten takes his dog Molly and his pair of skies. Horten has never worn a pair of skies and he tries for the first time. Later he travels with Molly and meets his old friend Svea (Henny Moan).

"O' Horten" is a cold film about retirement in Norway. The story is weird and the behavior of the characters is strange for a Brazilian. When the cooker is arrested in the restaurant, nobody moves from their tables. When Mr. Horten forgets his silver train at the room, his colleagues send it by mail. These cold relationships are really unusual in my tropical country. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Caro Sr. Horten"("Dear Mr. Horten")